They’re Coming. Are You Ready?
Every church leader worth their salt knows about the Christmas and Easter peak crowds: those couple of times per year when the sanctuary is full and resources are stretched to their limits (but don’t call ’em out. Just don’t.)
However, I’ve found that there are two other seasons on our calendar that tend to see spikes. One is the second or third Sunday of January, when holiday travel is over. The other is the second or third Sunday in August, when college kids are back, grade-school families are back, vacation days are spent, and routines start.
(Psst: now might be a good time to check your calendar and have a light bulb moment that that Sunday is this Sunday!)
Around here, we have seen as much as a 35% uptick in attendance from one Sunday to the next. Your surge may not be quite as dramatic, but it’s worth asking the question: are you ready? You might have a new-to-town guest who is settling in just as the school year begins, and they are looking for a church. Or a couple who have been contemplating a change in churches, and yours is one of the ones on their list.
The fact is, fall tends to be a new time for new rhythms. Let’s be ready for them.
Several years ago I wrote a post called “Preparing for the Onslaught,” with six tips to get ready for the new or returning folks. Read it here, and get your head in the game for this weekend!
